Gozaareshi az dehkadeh­ye zanaan (A Report from Women's Village) is a rare and special glimpse into the life of Iranian women. It was written by Parivash Berenji and Parisa Tashakori for Daricheh, a cultural/social monthly magazine in Tehran.

The interview is with the female ruler of Ab-Ask village, about 90 kilometers east of Tehran. The ruler is never named, as it is especially unusual for women to reveal such information. For centuries, women have taken over this village one spring day out of the year. On this day, all men take to the mountains to gather snow and ice to revive the village well. Meanwhile, the women take off their scarves in public ­­ which normally they cannot do when men are around ­­ and take over all civic responsibilities. They watch out for any men who may sneak into the village.

This year's ruler wears a military uniform and says she is 50­years-old. "Last year my niece was the ruler and the year before that it was my mother. So far [as I can remember] our family has inherited this position [every year]," she says.

Question: Will you let us take your picture?

Ruler: No I have to get permission from my husband first. He has gone to gather snow.

What happens if a man enters the village?

Ruler: First of all, he shouldn't. He'll be punished.

How?

Ruler: He can't pass through all the [women] soldiers who are guarding different parts of the village. But if he does, he'll be arrested. They'll bring him here and I'll decide what to do to him. I might order him to dance or throw him into the stable.

If your own husband wants to come into the village?

Ruler: It makes no difference. Whether he's my husband or not, the village law says no man is allowed in.

Does that mean no man can ever get into the village?

Ruler: (Laughs) Who told you that? In this village women rule for only one day. And that's from dawn to dusk when the men return from filling the well with snow. On this day no man should enter the village.

Who started this tradition?

Ruler: God knows. But it has always been this way. That's what my grandmother says, too. If you want to know the history, you have to ask those who know.

Why do they call you Hakem (Ruler)? Why are you wearing a military uniform?

Ruler: Because the women have chosen me to be the village ruler today. The military uniform is a sign of security. That means everyone should feel safe when they see me. I will pick a minister to hand down my orders and several soldiers will implement them.

What do you do as the ruler?

Ruler: The girls come to me and tell me their problems. I try to help them. Sometimes I solve disputes between the youth. If a man enters the village, I will decide how he will be punished. And I issue special commands for the happiness of the women. Like today's marriage ceremony.

Has a man ever been arrested by the soldiers?

Ruler: Yes. A few times.

What did you do to them?

Ruler: Once a man from Tehran came and stayed with one of his friends in the village. All the men had to leave the village the next day. The Tehrani man told his friend: "I will stay here and prove that no woman can arrest me." His friend insisted [that he should leave], but the Tehrani man refused.

At nine in the morning all the men had left the village. Then I got a report that a man had been seen in one of the village homes. Soldiers went there and asked the man to come along. He refused. The women were told to put on their scarves [because there was a man in the village].

Some women went and asked the stranger to go to the village square. He refused. Then the women threw stones at him. The man was so scared that he begged them to stop. But it was too late. He had broken the law, and if he was not punished, it would have encouraged the other men to take advantage.

The Tehrani man was slapped around and taken to the ruler, who at the time was my mother. When it was proven beyond a doubt that he had stayed in the village on purpose, he was ordered to dance. The Tehrani man refused. But after he was hit with sticks and stones, he understood that he must comply.

He danced. And did he dance! Sweat was pouring down his face. His face had turned red. He could not believe that the women would really beat him up. You cannot imagine his face. When he got really tired, he was thrown into the stable. He stayed there until the sun went down, without any food. When the men returned in the evening, he was delivered to his friend.

Of course, no one wants these incidents to occur. But any human being should learn to respect the law. Besides, everyone here is a woman. If a strange man comes into the village, he would not only be breaking the civilian law, but also the religious law [that prohibits men from looking at uncovered women, unless the woman is a direct relative], and he should be punished for that too.

What about the other men who tried to get in?

Ruler: Once a village man wanted to show that he was really brave and tried to get into the village when all the men had left.

And then?

Ruler: Nothing. He was arrested and beaten up. And when he was trying to escape the village, he fell down and broke his head and arm.

Would you like to be the ruler during the whole year?

Ruler: No. The beauty of this day is that it is only one day.